Glenn Hirsch, Instructor www.glennhirsch.com

1. the head
in watercolor
Glenn Hirsch, Instructor

2. For 30,000 years
in prehistoric
caves, the face
was taboo … no
faces have been
found. But the
artists could draw
animals very well.
Then in 1500 BC, the
completely natural face
appeared in Egypt.

3. Leonardo da Vinci
Drawing the
head takes
study … even
for the
masters.

4. Van Gogh studied …
On the left below:
when he began and
right after 2 years...

5. Anatomy
reveals
basic
structure
under the
skin …
“landmarks” to
guide you
1. temple
(forehead)
2. brow
3. cheek
4. jaw
5. chin

6. study the head in all positions…

8. the head in ¾ view … how much of the other side do you see?

9. the head in ¾ view … how much of the other side do you see?

10. Everyone’s skull is different, but there are four basic shapes

11. But to keep it simple, we can think of the head as both a ‘box’ and an ‘egg’

12. Renoir
Include the
neck in the
beginning
too!
To find the orientation of the head, you can think of the head as an EGG

13. Renoir
Renoir
Include the
neck
To find the orientation of the head, you can think of the head as an EGG

14. you can think of the head as a BOX
to define the difference between the side and front

15. Oskar Kokoschka

16. Raphael
Look for the difference between
the side and the front

17. Giovanni Tiepolo, 1760
the shape of the skull is much easier
when you can see
where the light is coming from

18. After Andrew Wyeth

19. PROPORTION IS
EASY WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE FACE
FROM THE FRONT
(NOT IN ¾ VIEW)

21. Lucian Freud
1.Eyes are in shadow
2. Nose has a ‘ball’ at the end
which overlaps the nostrils
behind
3. Lips – upper in shadow, lower
in light
4. Chin is rounded, suggests a
‘ball’
5. Ears are behind the
cheekbones

22. Lips – upper in shadow, lower in light

24. Nose has a ‘ball’ on the end which overlaps the
nostrils behind

28. The eyelid covers
most of the eyeball

30. Step by Step

37. skin color

38. Skin color
depends on
the color of
the light
Skin
color
depends
on
genes

39. John Singer Sargent
Skin color is a blend
of many browns,
tans, and pinks
painted with plenty
of water to keep it
pale
shadows are the
object’s color +
cerulean (cool) blue

40. Stephen Scott Young

41. John Singer Sargent

42. Emile Nolde

45. Pay
attenti
on to
the
“value”
The
black
and
white

46. Skin is greasy and reflects
light … so its color also
depends on the colors
reflected into it

47. subtle
touches
of
green

48. Jess Petrie

49. Oskar Kokoschka

50. Elizabeth Peyton

51. Emile Nolde

52. art school students

53. Kady Monroe-Tracey

54. Brad Kahlhamer

55. Brad Kahlhamer

56. Alessya Rose Bonder

57. Alessya Rose Bonder

58. Momo Yao watercolor, pencil, ink on paper